Closer
by DamnItStarFish
Summary: Set during episode 16: Dead Man's Chest. When they run into each other 'late at night', Kip and Jane have a sweet conversation that brings them even closer than before.
1. Chapter 1

'Gosh, I really hope it's there,' whispered Jane to herself as she climbed out of bed. She threw a shawl over her exposed shoulders, opened the door - being careful not wake Dot from her peaceful slumber - and tiptoed across the landing and down the stairs as quickly as she could.

Most of the adults were in the back room playing cards, and Mr Butler had taken a ladyfriend out to dinner, so she wouldn't be caught in the kitchen after bedtime. Yet the fear still nipped at her lungs. She hadn't grown up in a family that followed many rules - well, she hadn't grown up in a real family at all - but ever since she started living with Miss Phryne, Jane had promised to be good. This was different. This time she was breaking the rules, so that she didn't break an even bigger rule.

'Jane?'

Her own name rang in her ears. Kip! She had forgotten that he would be down here. It can't have been her fault. Dot had warned her that he was to old for her, so she had pushed her constant thoughts of him out of her mind. Even so, she was secretly happy to see him.

Knowing Jane's conscientious nature, Kip was somewhat confused as to what she was doing out of bed at such a time, and wanted to know. Confused and curious was his usual state of mind, around this little girl. How old was she, even?

He was brought out of his thoughts by her hesitant response. 'Um... hi, Kip,' she managed to choke out. He used fascinate her with stories, but now something was different, and it made her feel nervous. It was a new feeling to her.

'What are you doing down here?' he asked, more curious about her answer than accusing. He wasn't thinking of telling Miss Fisher that she was out of bed, but Jane was not reassured.

Again nervously she replied 'I, um...'

'Yes?' he interjected, getting impatient.

At last she blurted, 'Miss Phryne lent me her good parasol the other day when we went to the picnic, and I was so caught up in laughter on the way back inside that I can't remember where I put it. She'll be so angry if I have lost it! It was her favourite.'

To Jane's surprise and disgust, Kip started laughing. Realising he was the only one in the room so amused, Kip went quickly into the pantry and came back to face her, holding an object behind him.

'You mean this favourite parasol? Right?' Pulling the decorative object out from behind his back.

She was angry at him for not returning it sooner. Yet somehow, she still joined him when he started to laugh again, not even knowing the reason (which was the fact that her angry face was similar to a puppy bereft of its ball). They laughed too long and too loudly, so when they finally stopped there was an air of awkwardness surrounding them. Jane suddenly felt her exposed skin tingle in the cold, hastily covering herself up to preserve her dignity.

Kip noticed, and, trying to keep up his own dignity, said to her, 'There is no need to cover yourself.'

By the look of shock on Jane's face, he realised, too late, his words had not come out the right way. He quickly tried to dig himself out of that hole: 'I mean, why would I gaze upon you anywhere but those beautiful eyes of yours.'

Thinking he was just trying to placate her, Jane snatched the parasol off him, and stomped off up the stairs, forgetting about the large party only metres away.

In one last attempt to win her over, Kip hissed up the stairs: 'Once you feel decent enough, you might want to know that I am making hot cocoa.'


	2. Chapter 2

Jane was adamant that she would go straight back to bed. How dare he humiliate her like that? Just the thought of Kip was making her hands ball into fists. Yet somehow a little fairy in the back of her mind was saying that she should go down stairs and take up Kip's informal but nice offer.

As she re-entered the room she was sharing with Dot, and put the parasol down next to the bed, she tried to make up her mind. Let her anger get the better of her and leave Kip to drink his cocoa alone; or risk being caught or humiliated again to see the dashing boy that constantly occupied her mind.

His face she now imagined as Mr. Darcy's from Pride and Prejudice, his spirit was almost as wild Miss Phryne's, and she just loved hearing his stories. But he had humiliated her and she could get caught if she went downstairs again. Yes, she would get back into bed, and go straight to sleep.

As Jane got into bed thoughts filled her mind. She really wanted to spend time with him. Hmmm, what would she do? What would Miss Phryne or Dot do? Dot was proper and would tell him kindly that they could socialise in the morning and then go back to bed. Miss Phryne on the other hand would go downstairs and dance the night away with him. She really did idolise Miss Phryne. But Dot was almost always right. Though she could be overly sensible and cautious, and Miss Phryne's risks always had a good outcome.

Before she knew it Jane was out of bed and quietly looking for her dressing gown. She was going to throw caution to the wind and have cocoa with Kip in the middle of the night. She wasn't going to worry about being caught, she was going to spend time with the boy she loved.

She snuck down the stairs and into the kitchen, where she saw Kip standing over a pot of sweet smelling cocoa. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming down" he said without turning around, making her almost jump out of her skin, "there are cups in the cupboard next to you, could you get two out?"


End file.
